Open Book for July 2023

 

Welcome to  #OpenBook. I'm joining up with Carolyn Astfalk who hosts an #OpenBook Linkup on CatholicMom.com. Here's what I've been reading this past month. The dates indicate when I finished the books. Thanks for stopping by!

 

6-1-23 The Heirloom - Beverly Lewis - I enjoy Amish fiction and Beverly Lewis is one of the masters of the genre. This story is set in 1994. Clara's father has recently remarried after her mother's death and Clara is feeling out of place in her home of First Light, Indiana. She decides to go visit her aunt, who was also one of her mother's closest friends. Her aunt lives in Hickory Hollow in Lancaster County, a place her father warns Clara about visiting because the Amish there following a much stricter rule of life. Clara, however, soon finds herself at home in the new community and wants to stay. But to do that, she will need both her father's blessing and the approval of the bishop in Hickory Hollow, neither of which are eager to provide it. (Read for a book review publication).

 

6-11-23 Dear George, Dear Mary: A Novel of George Washington's First Love - Mary Calvi - I had read If a Poem Could Live and Breathe about Teddy Roosevelt's first love by the same author a couple months ago and enjoyed it so much that I requested this book by her. This one was okay, but I didn't enjoy it as much. It tells the story of the relationship between George Washington and Mary Eliza Philipse, a New York heiress, when Washington was a young man. The author strove to keep the language of the 1700s, often using excerpts from Washington's writings. While I appreciate the historical accuracy, the English language has changed quite a bit since then and it made it difficult to understand in parts. There were also quite a few military scenes which I wasn't that interested in. 

6-15-23 When Your Days are Dark, God is Still Good - Gary Zimak - I've read several books by Gary Zimak and always find that they speak to my heart. I do find it hard to believe in a good God sometimes. I definitely believe in God, but He doesn't always seem good or loving, especially with all the pain and suffering in the world. There are no easy answers for the reasons why these things happen and theologians and philosophers have wrestled with the problem forever. Zimak looks to Scripture for comfort in these painful situations, showing how God can bring good out of any situation, although not necessarily in the manner or timeframe that we would like. I heartily recommend this book.
 

 

6-17-23 Picturesque Forest Park Heights - Forest Park Heights Historical Commitee - This is a work of local (Springfield, MA) history that I found at the library while looking for something else. It discusses the creation of a gentrified neighborhood in my city that was developed between 1890 - 1920. As a fan of local history, I found it interesting to learn more about this area. The book was written in 1976.

6-18-23 Emily of New Moon - L.M. Montgomery - I loved all the Anne of Green Gables book as a child/teen but somehow never read the Emily books by the same author. I read an article recently that said that the Emily books were the author's favorite. This first book in the series was an absolute delight. While there are some similarities with Anne (orphans sent to a new home on Prince Edward Island, imaginative, writers), Emily is definitely her own heroine. I'm looking forward to reading the other two books in the series. 

6-26-23 The Christmas Quilt - Lenora Worth - One of the perks of reading books for a book review publication is getting to read Christmas books in the early summer. But despite the title, this story really wasn't about a quilt. Yes, the main Amish character made a quilt, but it was a small part of the story, so that was disappointing. This was a suspense-filled love story about a woman trying to trap a man into marrying her through blackmail so that she can inherit his property, while his true love (the main character) is pushed to the sidelines. The suspense was what kept this story going.

 6-28-23 Fed by the Lord; At-Home Scriptural Formation to Prepare Children for First Communion - Leonard J. DeLorenzo - This book is designed for parents to use at home to prepare children for First Communion. It can be used in conjunction with a parish religious education prep or independently. I like that it provided catechesis for parents as well as activities to do with children. It offers the opportunity for both parents and children to grow in faith together. (Read for Catholic Library World)

 

6-29-23 A Royal Christmas - Melody Carlson - Carlson writes Christmas stories every year, and I usually read them during the Christmas season. This year, I got to take an advanced read for the book review publication I work for. Have you ever watched a movie where an unsuspecting woman finds out she is actually heir to the throne in a small country? This book is part of that genre. It meets all the genre expectations, including some palace intrigue, and everything gets wrapped up neatly by Christmas. 

7-2-23 Emily Climbs - L.M. Montgomery - I enjoyed the second book in the Emily series as much as the first. This book covers the years when Emily went away to high school in Shrewsbury and experiences new adventures. 

7-4-23 The Favorite Daughter - Patti Callahan Henry - Ten years ago, Lena Donohue left her hometown after a deep betrayal by her sister. When her father is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's, she is forced to return home and face the painful memories she has been running from for a decade. This is a powerful story of family, forgiveness, and finding home, and continues my trend of enjoying books by Patti Callahan Henry. 

Since spring of 2019, I have been making my way through the Great Books Curriculum of Thomas Aquinas College (I'm currently working on the readings for sophomore year). 

6-26-23 The Canterbury Tales - Geoffrey Chaucer -  I had read a couple of Chaucer's tales in high school, but this was my first time reading the whole book. Chaucer lived from 1340-1400 and is sometimes called "The Father of English Poetry" and "The Father of the English Language." The book is a series of tales of pilgrims making their way to Canterbury. Chaucer died before it could be completed. I enjoyed reading these. I read a translation by David Wright that was easy to understand. 

7-4-23 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - Anonymous (Translated by Brian Stone) - I don't know if I ever read the actual poem of this before or if I knew the story from a picture book version that I read to my kids, but this Arthurian tale about a knight whose chivalry and integrity is tested was familiar. It was an enjoyable easy read (something I appreciate on this Great Books list!).

My twelve-year-old daughter and I read the following book this month:

6-12-23 The One and Only Ruby - Katherine Applegate - This wonderful story is the follow-up to The One and Only Ivan and The One and Only Bob. I recommend the whole trilogy! This one centers on a young elephant who lives in a nature preserve who is reluctant to celebrate her Tuskday (a coming of age ceremony) because her mother was killed for her tusks when they were in Africa.

 

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